Bishop Airport mural created by special education students unveiled

(Ryan Garza | Flint Journal)Tina Grant, of Davison, takes a photo of her son Sam in front of a mural he helped create with other special needs students from several schools after the unveiling at Bishop International Airport in Flint on Thursday.

FLINT — Artistic students from area disabled youth programs have been creating murals for years, but always within school facilities in limited public view.

That changed Thursday at Bishop Airport with the unveiling of a 128-tile mural depicting Genesee County landmarks.

View full size(Ryan Garza | Flint Journal)A tiled mural painted by special needs students from several schools hangs in Bishop International Airport.

About 250 Genesee Intermediate School District students, teachers and parents gathered to watch the artwork uncovered at the top of escalators leading to the airport’s main concourse.

“To see some of the parents’ faces and some of the children’s faces, it was just amazing,” said Randee Pieper, founder of the all-volunteer Genesee County branch of VSA Arts, which provides classroom workshops, art exhibitions and festivals for disabled youth.

It’s the first time anywhere in the state that an artwork created through VSA Arts was placed in such a prominent location, said Jessica Guzman, Detroit-based deputy director of VSA Arts-Michigan.

“It’s nice to see all the kids so excited about the project and to really show it off,” she said.

Students glazed individual ceramic tiles that fit together to create the playful drawings of the Flint Vehicle City arches, Capitol Theater, Citizens Bank Weatherball, Flint Institute of Arts and other recognizable entities around the area.

View full size(Ryan Garza | Flint Journal)Special needs students from Carter Middle School in Clio wait to have their photos taken by parents and teachers with a tiled mural they helped paint that hangs in Bishop International Airport in Flint on Thursday.

“This is the most collaborative one we have done,” said Pieper. “Over 350 students, one way or another, were involved in creating this mural.”

Jenna Lajewski,16, who attends classes in a GISD program at Clio High School, said she enjoys school art projects because “you can express yourself.”

“You can do whatever you want.” she said.

“They’re very excited today,” said Shirley Heffner, a special education teacher at Clio High School. “They learn cooperation. They learn expression. And they couldn’t get enough. Each one wanted to more than what they were assigned... It’s so fun to see it. I’m so happy my kids were involved.”

Clio High School GISD program student Allison Tanner, 19, said it was weird seeing her tile up with the others as part of a whole after the time she spent holding it in her hands and working on it individually.

“It was pretty shocking because I’m not used to it being up there,” she said.

She said she was excited to be able to look at the mural and point out her tile whenever taking a trip out of Bishop Airport.

“I knew all these kids were talented, but this is amazing,” said her mother, Tammy Tanner.

“It is exciting knowing that the mural will be on display for our travelers for years to come,” said Airport Director Jim Rice.